Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-12-27

For this section slightly warmer, generally fair
weather, followed by rain or snow Wednesday,
jght to fresh variable winds.
A SHOCKING ACCIDENT.-While the sad
news of the death of the Mayor Of the city
WAS being commented Ga about noon Sun.
day, and while expressions of sorrow were
being heard on all sides, the distressing news
bsaan to be circulated that MIR. Charles
II House had been run over and killed by
q train on the Alexandra and Fredericks-
burg Railway and that part of his remains
w.re ut that time sticking to the pilot of the
locomotive and the remainder streWn for
distance OF thirty feet on the track. A
crowd quickly hurried to the spot where the
terrible accident had occurred to find that
The account, instead of having been exagger
nted, had failed TO describe the occurrence
in its true horror. The accident occurred at
cattle guard few yards this side of the
Poor House lane, on the Alexandria and
fredericksburg Railway, at the point where
the track of that road DIVORCES from that of
the Alexandria and Washington Railway.
The exact particulars of the sad accident
are hard 10 gather, some accounts making it
appear that one Or two people were with
him at the time, while from other state.
iuenis it seems he was alone when struck by
the train. From all that can be learned,
however, ne started 10 walk up the track
saorily before u o'clock, and had reached
ITO cattle guard where the Fredericksburg
r5ad proper term mates, Or where itconverges
10 the Alexandria and Washington road,
and. was proceeding with his eyes cast to-
wards The ground when struck. Upon ar.
irving at The cattle guard (which consists Of
pool of wafer four feet square between the
rails), it is Usual for pedestrians TO walk the
iron rail, there being 10 ties in that spot,
which would, Of course, make 1T necessary
for one TO look down while crossing in order
t) place The f,et safely upon the rail, and 1T
is supposed that Mr.. House was in the act
of accomplishing this when he was run over.
The train which caused the tragedy was the
south bound Richmond mail, an hour be-
hind time. running at high rate of speed.
Ii was about the time the south-bound fast
mail train on the Midland road should have
passed, in which event 1t would have taken
the track of the A. & w. road to his rig ht,
and it is probable Mr.. House presumed that
that was the train approaching, and there.
fore looked for none to pass on the track
where he was walking. But in the twink
ling Of an eye the consequences of bis fatal
mistake became apparent, and before he
could cross the cattle guard the locomotive
was upon him anG ere the train could he
stopped every car had passed over him and
crushed and torn his body into unrecogniza.
bic fragments. His head was literally
ground of and pieces of the skull and brain
scattered for yards over the track,
and on The cross piece of the quad
brains and gore were spatte!ed in a
sickeniug mass The trunk Of his body
had be, completely dismembere6, and all
that minute CT two previously had been
human being had To tie gathered in fsaG
ments from wherever the murdcrous wheels
had cast them The sight was truly sic&en-
ing, aud several Of presumably siroug nerves
were compelled TO turn their heads in nor
ror from the terrible spectacle The train
was stopped and backed TO the scete OF Tho
accident, bat from the mangled state Of the
remains it was Impossible 10 identity them,
and il was not until letter had been taken
from his pocket shat it was ko0wa that the
victim WIS Charles II House. Later in The
day the remains were brought TO the city
and taken to Mr.. WheGtiy's undertakef's
establishment
All sorts Of reports regarding The sad al
fair were for time calculated, and some as
sumed that ii was 8 case of suicide, while
others from the facts in the caso rejected
that theory
Mr.. House vas a printer by profession,
and learned his trade in this Office, common
cling his apprenticeship in 1855. when he
was sixteen years of age. He worked in
the GAZETTE Office altogether for thirty
years, daring which time he filed the posi-
ton of foreman of the com pospg and job
rooms. Daring the summer he began the
publication of weekly paper called the
Aie1andri0n but for the pas. two or three
months had been foreman OF the Richmond
and Danvile Railroad Company's office in
Washington. He was of jovial nature and
had host OF friends, among whom he was
very popular He leaves wife and two
daughters
The fnueral Of Mr.. House took place this
evening from his late home on FRINGE street
aud was n,Imerousv attended. The services
were conducted by Rev. II. 4. Sharp and
pal!-bearers were Messrs. Il. +. Preityman,
John Standiford, Harry Standilord, w. F.
Creighton, A j. Lshew, and ]. S. Beach.
This morning a coroner's jury vas sum-
moued 10 hold an inquest, but in the alb
sence of the train men, the only witnesses,
ii was postponed.
Row ON A STEAMER. affray occurred
gu the $50 o'clock ferry steamer between
between his city and Washington yester.
day afternoon between six negroes and
number If young white men. The white
men used stools and chairs and the negroes
rszDts The negroes were beaten aboGt the
head, and several white men were cut.
When the steamer arrived at Washington
she remained cut in the stream and blew her
alarm whistle until four policemen reached
the wharf Owing to the crowd on the
wharf most of he bellgerents escaped from
ho hon lint ha cnnn1ndpn r.